2025 Speakers

Ola Afolayan
Director of Global Food Safety and Regulatory
Kellanova

Olamide (Ola) Afolayan is a dynamic professional dedicated to ensuring food safety. She holds a Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Food Science from the University of Georgia, and a BSc in Biological Sciences from the University of Botswana.

She is currently the Director of Global Food Safety and Regulatory at Kellanova (formerly Kellogg Company), where she has spent the last decade. In this role, she oversees food safety assurance, policy development and regulatory compliance. Her career has been marked by roles of increasing responsibility, demonstrating her commitment to excellence and problem-solving. Prior to Kellogg, Dr. Afolayan honed her expertise as a food safety research assistant at the Center for Food Safety, University of Georgia and as a Microbiologist at a MillerCoors brewing facility. Ola is driven by small victories that cumulatively impact food safety, and she finds joy in sharing her knowledge and experience. Outside of work, she enjoys being a food critic and traveling with her family.

James (Jim) W. Arbogast, Ph.D.
Principal Consultant
JW Arbogast Advanced Science Consulting LLC

James (Jim) W. Arbogast, Ph.D., is a technical leader of R&D, product development, and science/innovation in the hygiene science, sanitizer, food safety, public health, healthcare, and consumer goods spaces. He is the Principal Consultant at JW Arbogast Advanced Science Consulting LLC. Over his career, previously with Clorox, Dial, and GOJO/Purell, he has developed human, clinical, methodological, and technological research capabilities that resulted in the validation and successful commercialization of many hygiene and sanitation products. He is an experienced science leader and influencer in the hygiene and skincare marketplace, setting standards in public health and hygiene driven by intervention studies, solid evidence, and peer-reviewed journal publications. Dr. Arbogast holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of California–Los Angeles and a B.A. degree in Chemistry from Carleton College.

Larry Ball
Manager, Food Safety Quality Regulatory Affairs
Conagra Brands

Larry is currently a Manager in Conagra Brands’ Food Safety Quality Regulatory Affairs (FSQRA) department with primary responsibility for leading Conagra’s Food Safety Culture, including their enterprise food safety quality training and communications.

Larry joined Conagra Brands in 2007, as Customer Marketing Manager then Category Marketing Manager in their Foodservice division. In 2016, he moved to Conagra’s FSQRA department as Customer Facing Quality Manager before his current role.

Larry has worked in the food industry for over 25 years. Prior to joining Conagra Brands, he worked in operations at a large specialty coffee retailer.

Al Baroudi, Ph.D.
VP, Quality Assurance & Food Safety
The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated

Dr. Ata (Al) Baroudi joined The Cheesecake Factory in 2008 with broad experience in the food industry as a quality assurance executive. He is an agricultural engineer with a MS degree in Food Science and Technology / Microbiology from the University of California at Davis, CA. He received his Ph.D. in Food Processing and Technology / Regulatory Affairs from The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. He served as the head of QA and Food Safety (Snacks and Dairy) for Borden Foods Company in Columbus, OH, before moving to the west coast as Vice President, Corporate QA/Food Safety and Regulatory/Environmental Affairs for the Vons/Safeway Supermarkets, Arcadia, CA. Dr. Baroudi then served as Vice President of QA and Technical Services, Harry & David Corporation, Medford, OR., before becoming the Chief Scientific, Health and Regulatory Affairs Officer at Yum! Brands in Louisville, KY.

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Mitzi Baum
Former CEO
Stop Foodborne Illness

As former Chief Executive Officer, Mitzi Baum was focused on expanding the impact of Stop Foodborne Illness (STOP) by concentrating on STOP’s three strategic areas: families and individuals impacted by foodborne disease; company culture and practice; and food safety policy. By instituting a collaborative, consumer-centric operating model, STOP engages stakeholders across the food system to develop and advance solutions to food safety.

Prior to her tenure at STOP, Mitzi cultivated a 23-year career at Feeding America rising to the senior level position of managing director of food safety. Ms. Baum earned a Master of Science in Food Safety and a certificate in Food Law from Michigan State University. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Bowling Green State University and has obtained certificates in Non-Profit Management from the University of Chicago, Quality Management from DePaul University, and Food Safety Management from Cornell University.

Mitzi is the 2021 Joseph Leiter Lecturer of the Medical Library Association and National Library of Medicine, an adjunct faculty for Michigan State University’s Online Food Safety Program, a certified seafood HACCP instructor, a PCQI, serves as the consumer representative on Council I for the Conference for Food Protection, and is a member of the National Restaurant Association’s Food Safety Advisory Council.

Stop Foodborne Illness is headquartered in Chicago, IL.

Sharon Beals
Founder
SKKB

Sharon brings 40+ years’ experience in food safety, quality, and regulatory compliance, most recently serving as the Chief Food Safety Officer at CTI Foods. Prior to joining CTI, Sharon held senior level Food Safety/Quality/Regulatory Compliance/Technical Services at US Foods. Maple Leaf Foods, Smithfield Packing, Tyson Foods/IBP, Orval Kent Food, Arby’s, and Land O’Frost.

Sharon is actively engaged in the industry and is past Chair for the Beef Industry Food Safety Council (BIFSCo), has served on the American Meat Science Association Board of Directors (AMSA), was the 2017 Reciprocal Meat Conference chair, currently serves on the AMSA Development Council, the Board of Directors for Women in Agribusiness (WIA), and shows up every now and again as a speaker for WIA, the Food Safety Summit, and the Reciprocal Meat Conference. In addition to being named a Top Nominee for the Most Impactful Woman of the Year by the Women in Meat Industry Network for 2022 and 2023, she was named a Fellow of the AMSA in 2021 and awarded the Signal Service Award by that organization.

Sharon studied at Cornell University in New York where she completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Foods. Free time is spent enjoying the empty nest with husband Don, hanging with the pups, Juno and Roxy, gardening and encouraging everyone to be civil in their discourse.

Sharon Birkett
Vice President, Global Food Safety and Quality Assurance
OSI Group, LLC

Sharon Birkett is Vice President of Quality and Food Safety for OSI Group, LLC., a global leader in supplying value-added protein items and other food products to leading foodservice and retail brands. Sharon is a leader in the food industry demonstrated by more than 25 years’ experience and expertise in the areas of food safety, quality assurance and operations management. She leads the team in raising the awareness and expectations of food safety through participating on the Food Safety Culture committee with Global Food Safety Initiative, the OSI facilities certified to GFSI recognized schemes, and best practices in listeria control. Sharon is a member of professional organizations including the International Association of Food Protection, American Society for Quality, and North American Meat Institute.

Adrienne Blume, M.A
Editorial Director
Food Safety Magazine

Adrienne Blume is Editorial Director of Food Safety Magazine, a BNP Media brand. She has 18 years of experience in B2B technical media, including the food safety and quality (FSQ) and energy technology sectors. She manages the editorial content for Food Safety Magazine and its podcast, Food Safety Matters, and also serves on the Educational Advisory Board for the annual Food Safety Summit. She keeps a pulse on trends, issues, and regulatory developments in FSQA by attending and moderating sessions at food industry and food safety conferences worldwide.
Ms. Blume holds an M.A. degree in English and Publishing from Rosemont College in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, as well as B.A. degrees (hons) in English and Anthropology from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Dr. Philip Bronstein
Senior Vice President of Global Food Safety and Quality Assurance
OSI Group

Dr. Philip Bronstein is the Senior Vice President of Global Food Safety and Quality Assurance at the OSI Group. In this role he is responsible for the advancement of the FSQA mission in over 65 OSI locations to protect industry leading global and regional customers by utilizing best-in-class food safety and quality systems with an approach of excellence and relentless improvement.

Prior to this position, Dr Bronstein spent over 19 years with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). He led a research group in the Agricultural Research Service for six years before joining the Food Safety and Inspection Service. His last position with FSIS was as Assistant Administrator of Field Operations where he led operations and inspection services for the regulatory agency.

Dr. Bronstein holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Microbiology from Texas A&M University and a Doctorate in Microbiology from the University of Washington.

Dr. Barbara Chamberlin
Head of the Innovative Media Research and Extension Department
New Mexico State University

Dr. Barbara Chamberlin oversees development of research-based educational tools as head of the Innovative Media Research and Extension department at New Mexico State University. Throughout her career, she has developed hundreds of games, interactive programs apps, animations and videos about a wide range of content, including a considerable amount on the prevention of food borne illness and contamination. In 2019, her work in food safety education became even more personal, when her mom underwent her first round of chemotherapy for breast cancer and contracted listerial meningitis through contaminated food.

Ben Chapman, Ph.D.
Professor and Director, Department Head of Agricultural and Human Sciences
North Carolina State University

Vanessa Coffman, Ph.D.
Director
Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness

With a deep commitment to public health and food safety, Vanessa Coffman has worked on diverse food systems projects ranging from evaluating post-war farming practices in Sierra Leone for the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (UN-FAO) to investigating occupational and residential exposures associated with large-scale pork production facilities in North Carolina.

Her research has also explored the link between nitrate-contaminated drinking water—primarily from food animal operations—and fetal health outcomes in Denmark. Prior to earning her PhD in Environmental Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Vanessa served as a policy analyst at Stop Foodborne Illness, focusing on the implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).

Since returning to STOP in 2021, she has expanded the organization’s Alliance membership, staff, and programs, driving a systemic shift toward a stronger food safety culture across the entire food system.

James Davis
Senior Director, Global Sanitation
OSI Group

James T. Davis is the Senior Director, Global Sanitation at OSI Group, leading the company efforts in sanitation and hygienic design of equipment and facilities, with emphasis on food safety risk management. In this role, he develops and implements standards, training and policies to drive consistency in sanitation and hygienic design ensuring a high level of food safety for the organization. James collaborates and participates in industry associations to develop and implement best-practices and new standards.

Dr. Darin Detwiler, LP.D, M.A.Ed.
Founder/CEO
Detwiler Consulting Group LLC

Dr. Darin Detwiler is an internationally respected food safety advocate, author, professor, and advisor with over 30 years of global impact on food policy and industry practices. He has advised the CDC, FDA, USDA, NEHA, and multinational food companies, and serves as a trusted voice in regulatory, academic, and corporate circles. A frequent keynote speaker at international conferences, Detwiler is recognized as a key figure in shaping modern food safety. He is the author of Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions and appears in the Emmy Award–winning Netflix documentary Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food.

Eric Ewert
FSQ Zone Lead, Lab and Technical Services Department
Kraft Heinz Company

Eric Ewert is FSQ Zone Lead for Lab and Technical Services Department at Kraft Heinz Company. He is responsible for FSQ testing strategies, development and implementation of new methods, and external relations for the North America business. In prior roles, Eric has led Food Safety for iconic brands including Oscar Mayer, Lunchables, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and Kraft Cheese in addition to acting as the crisis management lead for North America zone. Eric holds a M.S. in Biochemistry from Illinois Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Biology from University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Annie Fitzgerald
Research Specialist
UVM

Annie Fitzgerald is a Research Specialist with the Northeast Center to Advance Food Safety, one of four USDA-funded regional centers tasked with coordinating training, education and outreach related to the FSMA Produce Safety and Preventive Controls for Human Foods Rules. Fitzgerald administers and leads initiatives to improve accessibility and user experience the Food Safety Resource Clearinghouse, a crowdsourced repository of food safety educational resources and coordinates activities of the NECAFS Preventive Controls Working Group, a collaboration of PC subject matter experts.

Robin Forgey
AGMM, Food Safety and Quality Assurance
Costco Wholesale

In her role as AGMM of Global Food Safety and Quality for Costco Wholesale Robin establishes product quality and safety policies and practices and assures Vendor compliance to these policies and practices. Robin develops regulatory compliance programs for company facilities and the tracking of Vendor programs to assure compliance. Robin also oversees routine product quality and safety testing and Vendor and Facility Auditing. Prior to joining Costco, Robin worked as a research scientist for BioControl Systems developing assays to detect foodborne pathogens and as the Director of Microbiology for an independent testing lab.

Robin holds a BS in Biology and a Masters Degree in Food Science.

Oscar Garrison
Senior Vice President Food Safety Regulatory Affairs
United Egg Producers

Oscar Garrison is Senior VP of Food Safety and Regulatory Affairs for United Egg Producers (UEP) Prior to this, Oscar had a broad regulatory based career for over 19 years at the Georgia Department of Agriculture where he held the executive positions of Division Director Food Safety and Assistant Commissioner of Consumer Protection. Additionally, Oscar is the Past President of the Association of Food and Drug Officials where he led the national organizations efforts to promote an Integrated Food Safety System. Mr. Garrison was also the Past President of the Georgia Association of Food Protection, an Executive Committee member of the Partnership for Food Protection, Food Safety Liaison to the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, and a member of the National Integrated Food Safety System Task Force.

Dale Grinstead, Ph.D.
Microbiologist and Consultant
Mountain Top Microbiology

Dale Grinstead is a Microbiologist with over 30 years of industrial R&D experience. Dale spent his career with Unilever and Diversey where he advanced to the position of Sr. Technology Fellow. During his career, Dale’s responsibilities included providing technical input and guidance on Diversey’s food safety programs, serving on the Diversey R&D leadership team, leading the Diversey Technology Council, assisting customers with technical issues, and participating in new product development projects. Over his time with Diversey, Dale has supported virtually all sectors of Diversey’s business. Dale retired from Diversey in June of 2021. Although nominally retired, Dale continues to stay active in food safety through various professional associations and serving as Adjunct Faculty in food science departments at several universities. Dale received his BS and MS degrees from Iowa State University and his Ph.D. from Clemson University.

Shane Guilliams
CFO
Van Drunen Farms

Shane is CFO for Van Drunen Farms and FutureCeuticals. Based in the Chicagoland area with global operations for freeze-drying, drum-drying, freezing, farming, harvesting and supplying plant-based ingredients for dietary supplements, functional foods, and cosmetics. He has worked in the food industry for the past 38 years, spending time at US Foods in multiple roles, at Harvest / Sherwood Food Distributors as CFO, and as CFO for the United States at Mars / Royal Canin before coming to VDF in 2021.

Shane holds a BS Accountancy from the University of Missouri and is a CPA. He has worked closely with owners and investors to drive value, and partnered with teams in Quality and Safety to align on the value proposition from investments in risk avoidance and mitigation.

Patrick Guzzle
Vice President of Food Science and Industry
National Restaurant Association

Patrick Guzzle is the Vice President of Food Science for the National Restaurant Association. He has been involved in retail food safety for over 20 years after his wife contracted E. coli O157:H7. His career in food safety began as an Environmental Health Specialist in Southeastern Idaho Public Health District. He later became the Environmental Health Supervisor and was involved in all aspects of environmental health. In 2004, Patrick was hired as the Idaho Food Protection Program Manager with the State's Division of Public Health. During that time, he served as President of the Idaho Environmental Health Association. In 2018, Patrick started Mountain West Food Safety LLC and was the Principal Consultant. In addition to helping several clients strengthen their own food safety efforts, Patrick regularly taught ServSafe® courses throughout Idaho and Eastern Oregon. Patrick has been an active participant in the Conference for Food Protection (CFP) and has served on several Committees, as well as Chairing Council II within the CFP. He served as Chair of the CFP from 2016–2018. He has received several commendations for his collaborative efforts with other organizations over the years. Patrick is an active member of the Association of Food and Drug Officials, the National Environmental Health Association, and the Western Association of Food and Drug Officials. He is also an adjunct professor of Public Health at Boise State University. Patrick holds an M.P.H., an M.A. degree in Anthropology, and a B.A. degree in Spanish, all from Idaho State University.

Regina Harmon
Executive Director
Food Recovery Network

Regina Harmon, Executive Director of Food Recovery Network, plays a significant role in raising awareness about the impact of food waste on the environment and the opportunity to address hunger through recovering surplus food. She is a current board member of Food Tank and Earth Island Institute and sits on ReFED’s Advisory Council. Regina emphasizes the need to address racial disparities in the food system disproportionately affecting health and economic outcomes, highlighting the importance of working together to enact change. She’s been recognized as one of the most influential leaders in the food industry by SELF magazine and Food Tank.

Scott Hegenbart
Manager, Regulatory Affairs
Conagra Brands, Inc.

Scott Hegenbart is Manager of Regulatory Affairs for Conagra Brands, Inc. where he leads corporate food safety programs for food allergens and other chemical hazards. With degrees in both Chemistry and Speech Communication from Iowa State University, Scott has held several quality assurance, food safety and product development positions over more than 40 years in the food industry. He also has extensive experience in the food industry media where he has authored more than 200 articles about product development, ingredient technology and food safety. Scott is a lead instructor both for Preventive Controls Qualified Individual training and HACCP training.

Jorge Hernandez
Vice President of Quality Assurance
The Wendy’s Company

Jorge is responsible for food safety and quality in all Wendy’s restaurants and its suppliers in 31 countries. His responsibilities include ensuring brand compliance with nutritional and allergen information, menu labeling and any other state and federal regulations. Previously, Jorge was Chief Food Safety Officer at Wholesome International; Senior VP for Food Safety and Quality Assurance at US FOODS; VP of Food Safety at the National Restaurant Association; Food Program Manager at Illinois Department of Public Health and Sanitarian at Winnebago County Health Department in Illinois.

Jorge has Degrees in Biology from Rockford University, USA; Microbiology from El Centro de Estudios Medico-Biologicos in Mexico City, Mexico; and Languages and Literature from la Universite de la Sorbonne, Paris, France. Jorge belongs to several national and international organizations and boards including STOP Foodborne Illness, IFPTI, the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and other.

Andrea Hines, M.S.
Project Manager, Food & Beverage
Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership (GaMEP)

Andrea holds an M.S. in Food Safety from the University of Arkansas and is currently part of the extension faculty at the Georgia Manufacturing Partnership (GaMEP) at Georgia Tech. In this role, she supports food safety, quality, regulatory, third-party certifications (GFSI), and operational excellence at food manufacturers across the state. Before joining GaMEP in 2023, she spent 17 years in industry at Red Bull North America, Smithfield Foods, and FSNS Certification & Audit. Outside of work, Andrea enjoys traveling abroad with her husband, beekeeping, and volunteering with the Marigold Collective.

Tim Jackson
Regulatory, Sr. Science Advisor
FDA

Dr. Jackson is a Senior Science Advisor for Food Safety with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, joining in 2022. In this role, he supports programs in outbreak investigations, root cause analysis, and prevention strategies.

From 2017–2021, Dr. Jackson served as Vice President of Food Safety, Regulatory, and Social Compliance for Driscoll’s team in North America and South America. He previously served as the Director of Food Safety for Nestlé US and Nestlé Canada from 2009–2017. From 1998–2003, he headed the Microbiology Laboratories at the Nestlé Quality Assurance Laboratory for the U.S. and Canada. From 2004–2008, he was Chief Industrial Microbiologist for Nestlé’s global operations in Vevey, Switzerland.

Dr. Jackson received his B.S. in Biology from Abilene Christian University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Food Microbiology from Texas A&M University.

Matt Jenkins
Director, U.S. Food Safety & Quality Systems
McDonald’s Corporation

Matt Jenkins currently works within the U.S. Food Safety & Quality Systems team at McDonalds where he has been for the last 6 years. He has over 20 years of experience in the quality assurance and food safety field, spending most of the time within the foodservice industry. In his current position, he serves as a brand protector by helping to create, integrate, implement, and maintain an end-to-end food safety philosophy that helps to ensure that only high quality and safe food is served to all McDonald’s customers. A graduate of the University of Illinois with both a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and a Master of Public Health. He enjoys playing the guitar and hiking around Chicagoland with his wife and two children.

Lone Jespersen, Ph.D
Principal and Founder
Cultivate

Lone Jespersen is published author, speaker, and the principal and founder of Cultivate SA, a Swiss-based organization dedicated to help organizations in the global supply chain make safe, great tasting food through cultural effectiveness.
Lone has worked with improving food safety through organizational culture improvements for 18 years since she started at Maple Leaf Foods in 2004. Lone chaired the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) technical working group “A Culture of Food Safety”, chaired, the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) professional development group “Food Safety Culture”, and currently the technical author on the BSI PAS320 “Practical Guide to Food Safety Culture.” Lone holds a Ph.D. in Culture Enabled Food Safety from the University of Guelph, Canada and a Master in Mechanical Engineering from Syd Dansk University, Denmark. Lone serves as vice-chair of the IFPTI board and as director on the STOP Foodborne Illness board.

Deb Kane, MS
Vice President, Food Safety, Quality, EHSS & Regulatory
J&J Snack Foods Corp.

Deb Kane joined J&J Snack Foods Corp. (JJSF) in 2017 and is currently Vice President of Food Safety, Quality, EHSS and Regulatory with over 30 years’ experience as a FSQA professional. Prior to joining JJSF, she held positions with Campbell Soup Company, Kraft General Foods, and AeroFarms Indoor Vertical Farm. Deb has worked as a food safety Microbiologist with experience in pathogen control, risk assessments, spoilage investigations, root cause analysis and inoculation challenge studies. Deb has extensive experience developing food safety and quality management systems to meet Regulatory and GFSI standards. She has also developed and implemented Food Safety and HACCP plans to meet FDA FSMA and/or USDA requirements. Deb is a HACCP lead instructor recognized by the International HACCP Alliance and trains facility teams annually in HACCP/food safety principles. Deb sits on the Executive Leadership Team at JJSF and is a member of the Educational Advisory Board for The Food Safety Summit. She earned a Master’s in Food Science and a graduate certificate in Food Safety & Defense from Kansas State University and a BS Degree in Biology from The College of NJ.

Larry Keener
President and CEO
International Product Safety Consultants

Larry Keener is president and chief executive officer of International Product Safety Consultants, Inc. (IPSC) based in Seattle, Washington. IPSC is a global leader in providing food safety and food technology solutions to the food processing industry for a broad client base of Fortune 500 food companies, academic research institutes and government agencies. IPSC is engaged in the conformity, risk assessment and food safety verification business.
Larry is an internationally regarded microbiologist and process authority in the food industry. As such, his areas of expertise range from applied food microbiology, and the development and application of novel preservation technologies including: high pressure processing (HPP), microwave, pulsed electric field (PEF), high powered ultrasound, atmospheric plasma and low energy electron beam technology.
Mr. Keener is a 2013 Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT); Board Certified Food Scientist (International Food Science Certification Commission); and a 2018 recipient of an International Union of Food Science and Technology’s (IUFoST) life time achievement award for his work in microbiology and food safety. He is a past president of IFT’s Nonthermal Processing Division and also a two term past president of Tuskegee University’s Food and Nutrition Sciences Advisory Board. He is the past co-chair and founding member of GHI. Larry is a 2022 inductee to the George Washington Carver Society. He has received numerous other awards and honors.

Gillian Kelleher
CEO
Kelleher Consultants LLC

Gillian Kelleher, President and CEO of Kelleher Consultants LLC, will serve as Chairperson for the Educational Advisory Board (EAB) for the 2025 Food Safety Summit.

Kelleher brings to the 2025 Food Safety Summit her vast, global leadership experience in the food industry and in food safety and quality, having lived and worked in Ireland, the UK, France, and the U.S. She has worked in diverse sectors including manufacturing, foodservice, retail, and distribution.

Kelleher was formerly Vice President of Food Safety and Quality Assurance for Wegmans Food Markets, a major U.S. regional supermarket chain and one of Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work For." Her scope of responsibility included all aspects of food safety and quality for stores, self-manufacturing, distribution, and Wegmans' private-label program. Prior to her tenure at Wegmans, Kelleher also worked at Häagen Dazs, Burger King, Express Foods, and Pillsbury. In addition, she has led the development of food safety and quality programs for many large and small private-label suppliers and distributors.

Kelleher earned her B.S. degree in Dairy and Food Science from University College Cork in Ireland. She is also a member of several professional organizations, including the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), the International Association for Food Protection (IAFP), and the American Society for Quality (ASQ). She is a past co-Vice Chair of the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Board of Directors, a member of the Board of Directors of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), a member of the Board of Directors of Stop Foodborne Illness, a longstanding member of Harvard's Private and Public Scientific, Academic, and Consumer Food Policy Committee (PAPSAC), and a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of Food Safety Magazine. Kelleher is also actively involved in the Leafy Greens Safety Coalition (LGSC).

With her significant industry experience and dedication to food safety and quality, Kelleher will work with the esteemed Food Safety Summit EAB and the Summit planning team to shape the educational agenda for the 2023 Food Safety Summit, which will be held May 8–11 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois.

Monica Khoury
Senior Quality Expert
Nestle

Monica is a dedicated professional with a strong background in quality and regulatory affairs. As a Senior Quality Expert at Nestle USA, Monica spearheads the food safety culture workstream and supports the Nestle Professional business and factories. She also provides coaching and expertise on allergen management to various departments including product development, regulatory affairs, and marketing. From ingredient selection to commercialization, Monica ensures that allergen management is prioritized throughout the entire process. Her multifaceted role showcases her expertise in ensuring the highest standards of food safety and quality throughout the organization.

Monica's experience in quality and regulatory affairs has given her exposure to many product categories, having worked at meat, ready to eat desserts, and sugar confections manufacturing facilities. Through her corporate quality and regulatory roles, she has supported a wide range of businesses, gaining valuable experience and knowledge along the way. Monica holds a Master of Science degree in Food Safety and a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science, both from Michigan State University.

Theresa "TK" Konieczny
Global Human Resources Director
Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)

Theresa, aka “TK”, brings 30+ years’ experience in finance and human resources, her most recent position as Global Human Resources Director for Archer Daniels Midland (ADM). Prior to joining ADM, TK held senior level human resources roles at US Foods, Kraft Foods and started her career as a financial auditor for Deloitte & Touche.

TK is actively engaged with various leaders throughout the food industry.

TK studied at Illinois State University where she completed her Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and Business Administration. She was a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and obtained her Master of Business Administration within Finance from DePaul University. Free time she enjoys playing tennis, walking the trails at Morton Arboretum and follows her lifetime dream as she tours at Chicagoland elementary schools reading her children’s book, Shape Towns: Can Hexner Find His Home? (also available on Amazon).

Mike Learakos
CEO
Abound Food Care

Mike has a 30+ year career across all spectrums of the food industry. In addition to being the President of Foodservice company since 1993, Mike also has extensive experience in food processing, procurement, facility design and distribution. Beyond the food industry, Mike has a long history of community involvement supporting a wide variety of non-profit organizations. Starting as a volunteer with Waste Not OC in 2013, Mike used his experience to develop an effective food recovery model recognized nationally for its innovation and effectiveness. Under Mike's guidance, the organization became known as Abound Food Care working to develop food insecurity and food waste reduction solutions that brings together the public, private and non-profit sectors with a focus on the positive impact excess edible food can have on people and our environment.

Alvin Lee, PhD, MASM
Director of the Center for Processing Innovation, Institute for Food Safety and Health
Associate Professor of Food Science and Nutrition, Illinois Institute of Technology
Dr. Alvin Lee is a microbiologist and virologist with more than 15 years research experience. He currently leads IFSH Center for Processing Innovation and co-leads the joint IFSH/FDA Microbiology Research Platform on food safety and defense related projects. He is a member of the Executive Board of NoroCORE, a USDA-NIFA Food Virology Collaborative based at North Carolina State University, and leads the Prevention and Control CORE. Current research support includes funding from USDA, US FDA and various industry contracts. Dr. Lee is currently a Section Editor on Elsevier’s Reference Module in Food Science and scientific reviewer on a number of scientific journals. He teaches food microbiology in the IIT’s Masters of Science program, has mentored more than 30 graduate students and post-doctoral fellows and a Lead Instructor for Food Safety Preventive Controls for Human Foods. He is a current active member of the International Association for Food Protection and a Professional Member of the Institute of Food Technologists.

Charles Leftwich
Vice President, Food Safety and Quality Assurance
Sysco Corporation

Charles Leftwich serves as the Vice President of Food Safety and Quality Assurance for Sysco Corporation, the world’s largest foodservice distributor. In this role he supports Sysco’s Purpose of “Connecting the World to Share Food and Care for One Another” by establishing food safety, product quality, sustainability, and regulatory compliance strategies across the Sysco enterprise. To implement these strategies, Charles leads a team of talented food safety professionals across Sysco’s broadline distribution services, specialty manufacturing locations, and Sysco’s industry leading private label brand program which is renowned for its commitment to the highest product quality and food safety standards.

Charles is a highly-experienced professional in the food safety, quality assurance and regulatory field with expertise in the harvest, manufacturing, distribution, and foodservice industries. He has served on various industry associations’ boards of directors, committees and working groups. He has held positions of increasing responsibility throughout his career and prior to Sysco, Charles led teams in Food Safety and Quality Assurance, Operations and Environmental Health and Safety at Cargill Meat Solutions and Kane Beef. Charles graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Science in Animal Science, and a Master of Business Administration from West Texas A&M University.

Nolan Lewin
Director
Rutgers Food Innovation Center

Nolan Lewin is the Executive Director of the Rutgers Food Innovation Center (FIC), a specialized food business incubator with FDA- and USDA-certified facilities. RFIC is part of the Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station and affiliated with the School of Environmental and Biological Science. The Rutgers Food Innovation Center (RFIC) is an internationally recognized unique food business incubator and accelerator. Established in 2000, the RFIC has been supporting food entrepreneurs and companies for over two decades.

Michael Lookup
Traceability Lead
Wegmans Food Markets

Michael Lookup is the Traceability Lead for Wegmans Food Markets. He is responsible for leading the creation of traceability strategy and solutions. Michael has 18+ year’s experience at Wegmans Food Markets across Store Operations, Supply Chain, Manufacturing and FS/QA.

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Steven Lyon, PhD
Director, Food Safety – Field Operations
Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Dr. Steven A. Lyon has been with Chick-fil-A, Inc. since 2009 leading various food safety and animal welfare initiatives. His primary role today is centered around control of foodborne diseases and respiratory diseases within the enterprise. He has held several roles ranging from leading Supply Chain food safety, product safety, restaurant procedure/kitchen design reviews, solutions/innovations, animal welfare, and regulatory compliance. Prior to Chick-fil-A, Inc., he was with the USDA for 7 years. His work has been published in peer reviewed scientific journals and also in magazines associated with poultry production. At the USDA, he worked on several projects involving antibiotic resistance and surveillance programs aimed at protecting public health from emerging foodborne pathogens. Steven holds 3 degrees from the University of Georgia’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Poultry Science, Masters of Science degree in microbiology, and doctorate (Ph.D.) in food microbiology.

Spir Marinakis
VP Food Safety, Quality and Technical Services
Maple Leaf Foods

Spir is currently serving as Vice President, Food Safety, Quality and Technical Services for processed meats, further processed poultry, fresh poultry, fresh pork at Maple Leaf Foods (MLF). As overall leader of this function Spir is accountable for the strategic direction to deliver on MLF’s Food Safety & Quality (FS&Q) strategy, Food Safety Promise, Quality Vision, day-to-day operations of the FS&Q Management Systems and Microbiology and Chemistry labs that service all MLF’s plants.

Spir began her professional career at Unilever Canada, one of the world’s largest CPG company. She progressed through various roles that included food scientist, sales representative, brand manager, innovation manager, R&D/QA manager, Canada and customer activation manager, North America. During this time, Spir achieved two prestigious Global Innovation Awards for innovative concepts and successful execution. Throughout this time her efforts on the commercial side of the business enhanced her appreciation of the importance of innovation, and customer-centric focus.

In 2004, Spir joined Maple Leaf Foods as Director FS&Q for the poultry division. During this time, Spir was awarded the President’s Award. In 2007, she moved into Six Sigma. During her tenure in Six Sigma, she was responsible for critical projects within marketing and food safety. In 2013, Spir moved into the Director, FS&Q systems role where she took over leadership and execution of the company’s quality strategy, performance metrics, FS&Q Pillar of the Operational Excellence, complaint management, and control of the FS&Q Management System.

Drew McDonald
Senior Vice President Quality & Food Safety
Taylor Fresh Foods

Drew is the Senior Vice President Quality & Food Safety at Taylor Fresh Foods, Salinas CA. He has over 30 years experience in Fresh Produce and Fresh Foods. He oversees the quality and food safety programs across the food service, retail, and deli operations under both FDA and USDA jurisdictions. Drew works with an impressive team developing and managing appropriate and practical quality and food safety programs for fresh food and produce products. Over the course of his career he has worked with growers and processors of fresh food and produce items all over the world. He currently serves on numerous food safety-related technical committees and has participated in the authorship of many produce food safety articles and guidelines. He is the out-going chairman of the Center for Produce Food Safety’s Technical Committee and on the Food Safety Summit Educational Advisory Board and former Chairman of United Fresh’s Technical Council. Drew received his education from Lawrence University in Wisconsin.

Brendan Niemira, Ph.D.
Research Leader
USDA-ARS

Dr. Brendan A. Niemira is a research microbiologist and Lead Scientist with USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Wyndmoor, PA. His research develops and validates cold plasma, pulsed light, radiofrequency energy and other nonthermal food processing technologies. He has published more than 190 peer-reviewed research articles, book chapters, and critical reviews. Dr. Niemira is a Fellow of IFT and a past member of the IFT Board of Directors. He serves on the Educational Advisory Board for the Food Safety Summit. A member of IFT, IAFP and ASM for 20+ years, he is on the editorial boards for "Journal of Food Protection" and "Applied and Environmental Microbiology".

Kathleen O'Donnell
Chief Scientist
Wegmans

Kathleen O'Donnell started her career at Wegmans as a part-time employee in the bakery. Following her graduation from Cornell University (B.S., M.S.), she became a member of the quality assurance team at Wegmans Meat Center, focusing on product quality assurance, environmental monitoring programs and product development. She developed the first HACCP program for the Wegmans Meat Center. Kathleen is now Chief Food Scientist and addresses issues of a regulatory, technical or scientific nature for food and non-food products.

Lola Oyedokun
Director of Quality Control
Van Drunen Farms

Lola Oyedokun is an experienced food safety professional with over 20 years in the food and beverage industry. She currently serves as the Director of Quality Control at Van Drunen Farms in Momence, Illinois, where she oversees multiple facilities to ensure excellence in food safety, quality systems, and regulatory compliance. VanDrunen Farms specializes in freeze-drying, drum-drying, freezing, farming, harvesting, and supplying plant-based ingredients for dietary supplements, and functional foods.

Before joining VanDrunen Farms, Lola held leadership roles in quality assurance at Coca-Cola, Pilgrim’s Pride, Kraft Heinz, and Land O' Frost Inc.

Lola holds a degree in Food Science and Technology from the University of Agriculture (FUNAAB) and an MBA from Florida International University. She is also an SQF Practitioner, PCQI-trained, and a certified Six Sigma Green Belt, demonstrating her commitment to food safety, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Known for her ability to drive cross-functional alignment and influence organizational change, Lola is passionate about fostering a culture of quality and accountability.

Outside of work, Lola enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with her family.

Donald A. Prater, D.V.M.
Acting Director of the Office of Food Policy and Response
U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Dr. Donald A. Prater is Acting Director of the Office of Food Policy and Response (OFPR). Since 2019, he has been the Associate Commissioner for Imported Food Safety in OFPR, providing direction to and management of imported food safety programs. In addition, he served as a senior scientific advisor and technical expert on matters related to human and animal food safety and the implementation of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.

Before joining OFPR, Dr. Prater was the Assistant Commissioner for Food Safety Integration, serving as the principal spokesperson on behalf of FDA’s Foods and Veterinary Medicine Program for imports discussions with external stakeholders, including foreign governments, as well as being responsible for import-related strategic resource planning activities. Earlier in his FDA tenure, Dr. Prater was Director of FDA’s Europe Office in Brussels, Belgium and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Country Representative to the European Union.

Dr. Prater received a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (Government and Corporate track) in 1996. Following a three-year residency in anatomic pathology, he joined FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) in 1999 as a Veterinary Medical Officer. He served in several roles including Leader of the Aquaculture Drugs Team, CVM Pathologist, and Director of the Division of Scientific Support.

Brian Ronholm
Director of Food Policy
Consumer Reports'

Brian Ronholm is the Director of Food Policy for Consumer Reports where he leads their advocacy efforts to advance a safe and healthy food system, and a fair and just marketplace for consumers. He was in public service prior to joining Consumer Reports, having served as Deputy Under Secretary for Food Safety at USDA, and before that, as a congressional staff person for Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut.

Donna F. Schaffner
(Retired from Rutgers University)
Food Safety & Training Consultant

With 30+ years as a Food Safety consultant for both USDA and FDA plants, Ms. Schaffner has taught in the US and abroad. She holds Lead instructor certificates for HACCP (USDA, FDA, Seafood & Juice), Preventive Controls for Human Food (PCHF), PC for Animal Food, FSVP, Food Defense and Food Microbiology and more. Donna develops customized training programs for processing facilities to implement regulatory requirements, improve audit scores or correct deficiencies in Food Safety or Quality programs. Having served on the FDA’s FSPCA, CASE curriculum committee for High Schools & numerous local, state and higher education Advisory Boards, she currently serves on the FSS EAB.

Dina Scott
Division Quality Manager
The Wendy's Company

Dina Scott is a Division Quality Manager (DQM) for Wendys. Dina’s diverse professionalbackground includes over 28 years of experience in food safety consulting, bilingual (Spanish and English) multi-level training, auditing, management, and extensive experience in HACCP development and auditing food safety systems. She is a SQF registered trainer and consultant, a certified HACCP trainer (International HACCP Alliance), and a Certified Quality Auditor (American Society of Quality).

As a Division Quality Manager, Dina works closely with Purchasing, Operations, Culinary and Training to help develop and implement food safety and sanitation processes. She also serves as a liaison between restaurants and the local health departments that inspect them. Dina uses her fluency in spoken and written Spanish to augment all of her professional skills. She maintains professional memberships with ASQ, Georgia Food Safety and Defense Task Force, The International Association for Food Protection and the Georgia Association for Food Protection. She was a past chair of the Developing Food safety Professionals PDG and sits on the program committee for the GAFP.

Dina has specific manufacturing experience in red meat, pharmaceutical and beverage processing. She has developed programs to address issues related to Listeria, sanitation and HACCP verification. She has been published in industry trade publications such as Meat and Poultry and presented at the American Meat Association’s Food Safety Show as well as IAFP conference.

Dina lives Acworth, Georgia with her husband, Kevin, and daughter, Natalia.

Matt Stasiewicz, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Applied Food Safety
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Matthew Stasiewicz is an Associate Professor of Applied Food Safety in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His work uses risk assessment and improved data analytics to advance food safety microbiology.

At Michigan State University he earned both a B.S. in Biosystems Engineering, focusing on food process engineering, and a B.A. in Philosophy, focusing on ethics. At Cornell he earned an M.S. and Ph.D. in food microbiology, working on risk analysis. The lab has many projects using simulation and risk assessment to improve sampling and testing for, and management of, foodborne pathogens in large-scale food productions environments.

Shawn Stevens
National Food Industry Lawyer
Food Industry Counsel LLC

Shawn Stevens is the founding member of Food Industry Counsel LLC, the only law firm in the United States that represents the food industry exclusively. As a food industry consultant and lawyer, Mr. Stevens works with food industry clients (including the world’s largest growers, processors, restaurant chains, distributors and grocers) helping them protect their brand by complying with FDA and USDA regulations, reducing risk, managing recalls, and defending high-profile foodborne illness claims. Mr. Stevens also speaks regularly to national and international audiences on a wide variety of emerging scientific, regulatory and food safety legal trends. Additional information about his practice can be found at www.foodindustrycounsel.com

Glenn Stolowski
Director Retail Food Safety
H-E-B

Glenn Stolowski has been with H-E-B since 2000 leading several QA teams. For 16 years he worked in Own Brand QA managing the safety and quality of private label food and non-food products. In his current role the focus is on ensuring the safety and quality of products at Retail stores. Prior to H-E-B he was with Sealed Air-Cryovac for 4 years focusing on meat packaging R&D. Glenn received a B.S and M.S. in Food Science from Texas A&M University.

Peter Taormina, Ph.D.
Founder and President
Etna Consulting Group

Peter J. Taormina, Ph.D. is the Founder and President of Etna Laboratories & Consulting Group. Dr. Taormina earned his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the Department of Food Science and Technology and Center for Food Safety, University of Georgia. He previously worked at Castellini Company, Smithfield Foods, and The Coca-Cola Company. He is the author of several peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters and two food microbiology books. He has written hundreds of process authority letters and overseen hundreds of challenge studies to validate the safety and quality of food and has worked in an estimated 180 food and beverage processing plants.

Hilary Thesmar
Chief Science Officer and Senior Vice President of Food and Product Safety
FMI

With over 20 years of experience in food science, food safety, and food and agriculture policy, Dr. Hilary Thesmar provides leadership for FMI’s retail, wholesale and product supplier members on scientific and technical issues related to food safety, food science and human nutrition.

Dr. Thesmar earned a Ph.D. in Food Technology from Clemson University, a Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition from Winthrop University, a bachelor’s degree in Food Science from Clemson, and she is a Registered Dietitian. Dr. Thesmar is a Fellow of the Institute of Food Technologists, an active member of the International Food Protection Association and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Purnendu C. Vasavada, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Food Science
University of Wisconsin-River Falls

As a Professor Emeritus of Food Science, University of Wisconsin-River Falls and Food Safety and Microbiology Extension Specialist, Dr. Vasavada is recognized internationally for his teaching, applied research, innovative training programs and active consultations in Food Science and Technology, especially, Food Safety and Microbiology, Rapid methods and Automation in Food Microbiology and Food Quality Assurance. Following his retirement from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, Dr. Vasavada served as FDA-ORISE Fellow (2012-2014), helped founding of the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance (FSPCA) and served as the inaugural coordinator of the FSPCA. A frequent speaker at international conferences, Dr. Vasavada provides customized educational seminars, workshops and presentations on a wide variety of contemporary food industry topics for a wide variety of audiences.

Christopher Waldrop, M.P.H.
Senior Health Scientist
Office of Surveillance Strategy & Risk Prioritization, Human Foods Program, Food and Drug Administration

Christopher Waldrop is a Senior Health Scientist in the Office of Surveillance Strategy & Risk Prioritization in the Human Foods Program at the Food and Drug Administration. In this role, he leads cross-agency workgroups to advance agency priorities on nutrition, food safety and biotechnology issues. He was part of the rule-writing team for the Food Traceability Rule, and helps lead the communications and outreach for the rule.

Previously, he directed the work of the Food Policy Institute at the Consumer Federation of America for 12 years, where he oversaw the Institute’s research, analysis, advocacy and media outreach on a range of food policy issues. Mr. Waldrop has an advertising degree from Texas Tech University and a Master of Public Health degree from Johns Hopkins University. Early in his career, he served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana, West Africa as a community health educator.

Roberta Wagner
Senior Vice President, Regulatory and Scientific Affairs International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA)

Nickolas Waters
Senior Director, Food Safety and Quality Assurance
Sysco

Nick Waters is a Senior Director, Food Safety and Quality Assurance for Sysco that is responsible for the design, development, training, implementation and execution of risk-based food safety programs for the distribution segment of Sysco’s business. He works closely with internal and external stakeholders on new initiatives that differentiate Sysco. Prior to this, Nick held various food safety and quality assurance positions and served honorably in the United States Army. He received his undergraduate degree in Food Science and Nutrition from the Metropolitan State University of Denver.

Purni Wickramasinghe, Ph.D.
Food Safety & Restaurant Solutions
Chick-fil-A, Inc.

Dr. Purni Wickramasinghe has been with Chick-fil-A, Inc. since 2021, where she leads strategic food safety risk assessment and mitigation initiatives across the organization. In her current role, she leverages advanced machine learning and AI technologies to assess, quantify, and manage food safety risks at an enterprise level. Prior to her tenure at Chick-fil-A, Dr. Wickramasinghe conducted post-doctoral research at Rutgers University, focusing on the impact of gut microbiota on reproductive hormones and the role of polyphenols in metabolic disease management. She holds a Bachelor’s in Biomedical Sciences from Monash University, a Master’s in Food Microbiology from Chonbuk National University, and a Ph.D. in Food Microbiology with an emphasis on Natural Products Chemistry from the University of Tennessee.

Michael Wood, Ph.D.
Manager, Food Safety & Quality
Kroger

Dr. Wood is a Food Safety Leader with the Kroger Company, joining in 2021. In this role, he supports the Fresh Kitchen Program, produce safety and In-Store Fresh-Cut Produce Program.

Dr. Wood has held positions as the Market Microbiologist with Nestle USA, New Product Development Manager with Del Monte Fresh Produce and Research Manager with Analytical Food Laboratories.

Dr. Wood received his B.S. in Microbiology, his M.S., and Ph.D. in Food Microbiology, all from the University of Florida.

Jeremy Zenlea
Director, Head of Health and Safety
EG America

Jeremy Zenlea is the Director, Head of Health and Safety at EG America. In this role, Jeremy oversees all aspects of Food and occupational Safety, including regulatory (OSHA, USDA, FDA, State, Local) compliance, retail and commissary food safety operations, and supply chain integrity. Jeremy has worked with a variety of different product categories, including Refrigerated, High Risk RTE Foods (meat, poultry, pork, fresh cut fruit and produce), chocolate and confectionary. Due to his diverse background, Jeremy has gained a wide range of knowledge of different food products and has become an expert in setting-up, executing and managing complex food safety and food defense systems for large domestic and international food manufacturers. He is an active member of the International Association for Food Protection and enjoys lecturing on food safety at Northeastern University and mentoring other food safety professionals in his spare time. Jeremy received a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and an M.B.A from Northeastern University.

Rosalind Zils
Vice President, Quality
Reckitt/Mead Johnson Nutrition

Rosalind is a recognized quality, food safety and regulatory leader with in-depth experience transforming programs in companies that are less mature in their food safety culture journey and deploying enterprise-wide food safety and quality initiatives in very large organizations. She has extensive experience in ensuring a safe, quality, and regulatory compliant raw material and finished product supply. During her career with Cargill, Land O’Lakes, 8th Ave Food & Provisions, and now Reckitt, she has gained significant change management skills and experience in quality, food safety and regulatory activities at the corporate, enterprise and business unit level, including customer focus, building trust, influencing internally and externally to company, driving results, and enabling a global perspective that ensures the business operating principles of organization are met. Rosalind is an engaging leader known for employee loyalty and leading high performing teams. Her interests outside of her work place are supporting her son’s competitive sailing endeavors, gardening, and boating on the lake.

Karleigh Bacon
Director of U.S. Supply Chain Food Safety, Science & Regulatory
McDonald's Corporation

Karleigh Bacon is Director of U.S. Supply Chain Food Safety, Science & Regulatory at McDonald’s. Within food safety, Karleigh’s key areas of work include anticipatory issues management, supply chain strategy, data excellence, external relationship development, and providing internal technical expertise. Prior to joining McDonald’s, Karleigh worked in the food manufacturing industry leading regulatory compliance for both FDA and USDA products as well as food safety during manufacturing, packaging, and holding. Karleigh holds a PhD in Food Science and Technology from Virginia Tech, as well as a B.S. in Biological Sciences and M.S. in Food Science from Purdue University. She enjoys biking and museum hopping in the Chicago area with her husband and two sons.

Claudia Coles
President
Seafood Products Association (SPA)

Claudia Coles joined SPA in 2019 after 35 years of service with the Washington State Department of Agriculture. She is a member of the FSPCA Executive Advisory Board, co-chair of the FSPCA PCHF Trainer of Trainers Work Group and is a FSPCA Trainer of Trainers and Lead Instructor for the FSVP and PCHF curricula.

Claudia is a Past President of the Association of Food and Drug Officials and received five awards from the FDA for leadership in food safety, Seafood HACCP, Interstate Milk Shippers, training teams, and promoting state/federal partnerships.

Claudia is a North Dakota State University graduate.

Deanna Copeland
Retail Food Safety Director
AFDO

Deanna joined AFDO at the beginning of 2023 to lead AFDO’s projects for the Retail Food Safety Regulatory Association Collaborative. Before joining AFDO, she worked in regulatory as a retail food safety inspector and program manager for over 25 years.

Joetta DeFrancesco
Retail Program Standards Coordinator
NEHA

Joetta DeFrancesco is the Retail Program Standards Coordinator for the National Environmental Health Association. Prior to NEHA, she worked as an inspector with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Division of Food Safety, and later as the Environmental Manager for Quality Assurance and Training, where she oversaw the training and certification of the Retail Food Inspection staff. Joetta holds an M.A. in Teaching, has written curriculum and taught, culinary, food safety, and food service courses. She is an active member of the Conference for Food Protection, where she served on the Executive Board, and as a Council Chair.

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Roy Fenoff, Ph.D.
Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice
The Citadel

Roy Fenoff, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at The Military College of South Carolina (The Citadel). He is also a Forensic Handwriting and Document Examiner and an expert in forgery detection. Dr. Fenoff specializes in forgery and document fraud, food fraud and protection, and transnational crime.

Tim Jackson
Regulatory, Sr. Science Advisor
FDA

Dr. Jackson is a Senior Science Advisor for Food Safety with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, joining in 2022. In this role, he supports programs in outbreak investigations, root cause analysis, and prevention strategies.

From 2017–2021, Dr. Jackson served as Vice President of Food Safety, Regulatory, and Social Compliance for Driscoll’s team in North America and South America. He previously served as the Director of Food Safety for Nestlé US and Nestlé Canada from 2009–2017. From 1998–2003, he headed the Microbiology Laboratories at the Nestlé Quality Assurance Laboratory for the U.S. and Canada. From 2004–2008, he was Chief Industrial Microbiologist for Nestlé’s global operations in Vevey, Switzerland.

Dr. Jackson received his B.S. in Biology from Abilene Christian University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Food Microbiology from Texas A&M University.

Bala Kottapalli, Ph.D.
Senior Director, Food Safety
T. Marzetti Company

Dr. Balasubrahmanyam (Bala) Kottapalli is the Senior Director of Food Safety at T. Marzetti, where he leads strategic initiatives in food safety, microbiology, and corporate sanitation. Previously, he served as Senior Director of Global Food Safety at Walmart, where he established a Global Food Safety Science Center of Excellence supporting both domestic and international markets. He has also held key leadership roles in food safety, microbiology, and regulatory affairs at Conagra Brands, Mondelēz International, and the Institute for Environmental Health, Inc. (IEH Laboratories).

Bala holds a Ph.D. in Food Safety and an M.S. in Cereal Science from North Dakota State University, as well as an M.S. in Applied Statistics from Penn State University. He earned his B.S. in Dairy Engineering/Technology from Osmania University in India. Bala previously served on the National Advisory Committee on Microbiological Criteria for Foods (NACMCF) and currently serves on the editorial boards of leading scientific journals, including the Journal of Food Protection and Applied and Environmental Microbiology. With over 20 years of experience in the food industry, Bala brings proven experience in managing food safety across manufacturing, distribution centers, supply chains, and e-commerce platforms through a science-based, data-driven approach.

Lori Ledenbach
Founder
Ledenbach Food Safety LLC

Loralyn (Lori) Ledenbach is President of Ledenbach Food Safety, LLC, having recently retired as Associate Director for Food Safety at Kraft Heinz North America. Prior to her retirement, she had been with the company for over 43 years. Over this time, Lori had worked on new method development and product category support for: enhancers products, pizza, and natural and pasteurized process cheese. She was one of the internal process authorities for pasteurized process cheese products, and co-developed the Better Process Control School for Process Cheese standard curricula. She led the Kraft Foods global HACCP team, then Kraft Heinz NA HACCP team. She is a Trainer of Trainers for Preventive Controls for Human Foods, a Lead Instructor for Foreign Supplier Verification Program, and a Lead Instructor for Intentional Adulteration Vulnerability Assessments. She is a Fellow and Honorary Life Member of the International Association for Food Protection. She graduated with a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences from Northern Illinois University and a M.S. degree in Food Science from University of Illinois.

Sara Mortimore, MSc, FRSPH, MIFST
Founder
Sara Mortimore LLC

A food scientist and passionate food safety advocate with over 40 years of experience.

From 2019 to 2024 Sara was the Global Vice President of Food Safety for Walmart Inc. This role had enterprise-wide responsibility for the company’s more than 10,500 brick and mortar stores, fast developing ecommerce business, supply chain and private brands supplier food safety program. During this period the company transformed its food safety management system and in doing so focused on leveraging the food safety knowledge and experience from team members around the globe. Under her leadership, the company was the recipient of the International Association of Food Protection (IAFP) Black Pearl award, in recognition of food safety excellence.

From 2008 to 2019 she was the Vice President of Product Safety, Quality and Regulatory Affairs at Land O’Lakes, Inc., the second largest agricultural cooperative in the USA, which operates some of the most respected brands in agribusiness and food including dairy foods, animal nutrition (Purina Animal Nutrition), and in agricultural inputs.

Sara started her career with Glaxo SmithKline, working as a Research Technologist in R&D. In 1989 she joined Grand Metropolitan Foods which later became Pillsbury and subsequently was incorporated by General Mills Inc. She stayed there for close to 19 years moving through a series of global assignments all in Food Safety and Quality.

Sara is also the co-author of many successful books and chapters on HACCP and food safety management. She has served on the GFSI Steering Committee and as a trustee of the Royal Society for Public Health, as well as on several editorial boards and technical advisory committees.

Now working as an independent food safety adviser, Sara sits on the Musgrave Group Food Safety Advisory Board and the Campden BRI Advisory Council.

Carrie Rigdon, Ph.D.
Research Director
Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO)
Carrie Rigdon is the Research Director at the Association of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO). Dr. Rigdon leads and assists several projects in research question development, effective data collection, detailed data analysis, and the publication of findings. Prior to joining AFDO, Dr. Rigdon worked at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, initially in helping develop Minnesota’s Food Emergency Rapid Response Team, and more recently as Operations Manager and Interim Assistant Division Director for Food and Feed Safety. Carrie earned her MPH in Epidemiology from San Diego State University and her PhD in Environmental Health from the University of Minnesota with a focus on foodborne illness.

Autumn Schuck
Assistant Program Director
AFDO

Autumn joined the AFDO team in 2022 as an Assistant Program Director assisting in teaching various retail and manufactured food courses, leading Inspector Boot Camp and helping to support the Integrated Food Safety Systems team. Schuck served as Inspection Manager for the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety program from 2016-2022. Earlier in her food safety career she held positions within the Food Safety Program as an inspector, Field Supervisor, Contract Supervisor, and beyond as a third-party auditor with over 20 years in the food safety field.

John W Spink, Ph.D.
Director, Food Fraud Prevention Academy &
Assistant Professor, Michigan State University

Dr. John W Spink is the Director and Lead Instructor for the Food Fraud Prevention Academy. Also, he is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Supply Chain Management (SCM) in College of Business at Michigan State University (MSU). His food fraud prevention research focus is on policy and strategy to understand and prevent these supply chain disruptions and to implement procurement best practices. He is widely published in leading academic journals and has helped lead national and global regulatory and standards activity. More recently his teaching and research has expanded to supply chain disruption management and procurement best practices. For more: www.FoodFraudMOOC.com

Melissa Vaccaro
Senior Food Safety Program Specialist
NEHA

Melissa Vaccaro is the Senior Food Safety Program Specialist for the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), where she is the SME in the development and delivery of food safety education, focusing on retail food safety and manufactured/processed foods. As an instructor, Melissa teaches the Plan Review, Special Process in Retail, Food Safety in the Event of a Disaster, Food Code, and Temporary Food Establishments courses for NEHA/FDA. She is a CP-FS, CPFM, PCQI and Lead Instructor for the FSPCA courses on Human Food. Additionally, Melissa is an FDA Certified Retail Food Standardization Officer and Certified Health Officer.

Steve Ardagh
Founder and CEO
Eagle Protect PBC

Steve Ardagh, is founder and CEO of specialist glove supplier Eagle Protect, the only U.S. glove supply company to conduct proprietary independent glove testing and verification of their range of gloves. With gloves a known microbial contamination source, Ardagh continues to appear in podcasts and food safety publications advocating for increased glove food safety verification. He is actively pursuing a regulatory change of food compliant gloves to include testing and verification for microbial contamination and glove defects - neither of which are currently included.

Nick Brown
Director of Transportation - Supply Chain Solutions
enVista

Nick Brown is Director of Transportation in enVista’s Supply Chain Solutions. In 2022, Nick designed a multi-tool global transportation solution for a large medical device manufacturer/distributor. He has more than 15 years of experience across multiple facets of the transportation industry. Nick’s experience includes directing client engagements over multiple teams, creating custom continuous improvement projects for his customers, being the Business Owner of OTM and more.

Amber Engebretson
Solution Consultant
PLM TrustLink

With over 20 years of experience in operations, training, and supply chain, Amber’s passion for 'food safety for everyone' plants her at the intersection of change management and cutting-edge traceability technology. At PLM TrustLink, a comprehensive software platform for tracking & tracing food in the supply chain, her focus remains on driving automation, streamlining processes, while translating the intricate dynamics of rapidly evolving supply chain needs and regulations into technology implementations.

Jennifer Lott
Technical Development Director - Food
SGS North America, Inc.

As the Food Technical Development Director at SGS, Jennifer has over 25 years of industry experience and is passionate about helping companies grow and succeed. She specializes in Food and Product Safety Management Systems with particular expertise in all things associated with certification, including training and project management. Jennifer has a commitment to excellence, a positive can-do attitude and is always looking for opportunities to develop solutions to meet the needs of clients. Outside of work, Jennifer enjoys hiking, volunteering, creating new recipes from leftovers, and spending time with her family.

Julie McGill
Vice President of Supply Chain Strategy and Insights
Trustwell

Julie McGill is the Vice President of Supply Chain Strategy and Insights at Trustwell where she monitors food regulations, is engaged with evolving industry work, advises, and educates internal stakeholders and external partners on impacts to the food supply chain. Prior to joining Trustwell, Julie led initiatives in foodservice and convenience retail at GS1 US. She was a founding team member at Transora, which was one of the first GDSN data pools. Julie started her career at Coors Brewing Company in Golden, Colorado, working on their store level data team, managing the distributor EDI program.

Megan Murphy
Manager of the Regulatory Team in Product
Trustwell

Megan currently serves as Manager of the Regulatory Team in Product at Trustwell. Previously, she was a Regulatory and Consulting Specialist at ESHA Research and Manager of Nutrition Database and Labeling at McDonald’s Nutrition Team. Megan has also worked in nutrition roles at MacNeal Hospital and Bally Total Fitness. She holds a B.A. from the University of Illinois and is a registered and licensed dietitian. Megan completed a combined dietetic internship/master’s program in public health at Benedictine University, as well as the didactic program in dietetics at Loyola University Chicago.

Angela Nardone
Chief Operating Officer
Share-ify

Angela Nardone is the Chief Operating Officer for Share-ify and oversees product management for all Share-ify solutions and brings over 20 years of experience in strategy, business development, market development and innovation.

In 2008, Angela purchased the company that later became Share-ify. When arriving, the company had a focus solely in the produce industry. Now - 15 years later - Share-ify is in 59 countries and has customers in the retail, foodservice, distribution, food processing, manufacturing, and packaging industries.

Since 2008, Angela was named ‘Top 20 Women in the Industry’ by The Packer and “Top 40 Under 40’ by Produce Business Magazine and many other industry awards for company performance. Under her leadership, the company was also the winner for IBM’s prestigious Beacon Award for Midmarket technology company.

Angela has served on numerous industry boards and committees including the Board of the International Fresh Produce Association (IAFP) and the Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) Council. She currently serves on the Audit and Finance committees for the Conference for Food Protection. She is also a member of the IEEE.

Daniel Schmidt
US & Canada Sales Director
TuffWrap Installations

Dan Schmidt, US & Canada Sales Director for TuffWrap Installations, oversees and directs the company’s North American salesforce. TuffWrap Installations is North America's leading provider of innovative dust and debris containment solutions during re-roofing, renovation, and reconstruction projects. They are the pioneer in the industry and provide turnkey services for the installation and removal of suspended cover, temporary walls, and exterior wall protection needs.

Dan is currently tasked with the responsibility of contributing to the development of additional products and services, as well as advancing the company's already impressive twenty-five-year history of growth and success. Additionally, he provides direction and guidance to the sales team to achieve higher revenue targets and expand the company's customer base. Under his leadership, the sales team has grown revenues by 56% over the last two years and they are highly motivated and committed towards achieving the company's common goal of growth and success.

Schmidt holds a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Mechanical Engineering from Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, and a Master of Science (MS) in Engineering Management from Walden University, Minneapolis, MN. Before joining TuffWrap he held senior-level management positions in professional services, business development, and sales.

Matt Taylor
Director Food Consulting
NSF Food Advisory & Training

Matt is a highly enthusiastic, accomplished, results-driven leader and former Environmental Health Consultant with extensive experience across diverse global industry sectors. Dedicated to enhancing public health, protecting the planet, and driving operational excellence, Matt has over 25 years of food safety experience and is now in the USA, supporting NSF’s global footprint. Matt has and continues to support numerous global businesses, including retailers, QSRs, fast-casual food services, hospitality companies, distributors, hoteliers, and manufacturers.

Brian Wood
Sales Director
PLM TrustLink

Brian has over 20 years of experience in sales and business leadership development utilizing technology-based solutions to solve customer pain points within their business. A delivery leader in leveraging embedded technology integration platforms, enterprise-level hardware/software, RFID (UHF/HF/NFC), contactless product technologies, IoT and cloud-based solutions, Brian was a key contributor in the creation of PLM TrustLink™.

Kathleen Wybourn
Director of Food & Beverage, US & Canada
DNV

Over 30 years in the Food & Beverage industry bringing you experience, industry insights, and value-added information from managerial positions in Food Safety, Quality, Supplier Management & Operations at Monsanto, from the association level as Director of GMA-SAFE, GFSI Technical Working groups, and the registrar & assessment level as the Director of Food & Beverage NA at DNV SCPA & Business Assurance.

Roberto Bellavia
Partner and Senior Consultant
KTL

As a KTL Partner and Senior Consultant, Roberto Bellavia manages food safety-related projects and supports clients of all sizes in complying with FDA and USDA requirements, creating and managing FSMS and food safety programs/procedures, implementing GFSI schemes, and conducting training. Prior to joining KTL, Roberto had a successful career with US Foods, where he provided leadership for quality and food safety programs; managed and developed HACCP, GMP, and SOP programs; and implemented GFSI certification for FSSC 22000 at 13 national locations. Roberto holds several food qualifications, including GFSI, HACCP, GMP, SSOP, SOP, FSPCA, and Lead Auditor certifications.

Chris Earnest
Inside Sales Manager
CEJN North America

Chris Earnest, Inside Sales Manager at CEJN North America, brings more than 13 years of sales engineering experience to drive sustainable solutions in the Food and Beverage industry. Passionate about food safety, Chris leads efforts to represent innovative tools like CEJN’s 208 Detect blow gun, tailored to enhance.

Michael Fabian
Manager of CompuClean
Spartan Chemical Company, Inc.

Mike Fabian is the Manager of CompuClean at Spartan Chemical Company. He has 20 years of experience in the food sanitation industry with a focus on sanitation management systems. Mike oversees all aspects of Spartan's CompuClean sanitation management software, including development, training, and sales, and works closely with Spartan clients and distributors to help them implement and utilize CompuClean to its full potential.

Steven Granzow
Northen Illinois Regional Manager
FSS, Inc.

Steve is the Northern Illinois Regional Manager of FSS, Inc. based out of the company's Joliet, IL office. Steve began working with Fumigation Service and Supply Inc. in 2007 as a part-time laborer during structural and grain fumigations. Through persistence, adaptability, and a willingness to learn he gained knowledge and experience making him a valuable asset to the region. Outside of work Steve is a dedicated family man. He plays an active role in his community as a youth soccer coach, a church board member and vacation bible school leader. Above all things, his happiest moments are spent on the shady side of a lake with his wife Stacey, and his beautiful children.

Susanne Moore
CEO
S4i Systems, Inc. dba SMRTR

Susanne serves as the CEO of S4i Systems, Inc. dba SMRTR and has over 20 years in the technology industry in various operational, sales and marketing roles. She has worked with organizations ranging from startups to large consulting firms facilitating organizational transformation by aligning people and processes with the organization’s strategic initiatives and goals. Susanne has spent the last four years as CEO and partner of SMRTR defining the organization’s industry focus and aligning sales, marketing, product development and professional services to execute successfully against the organization’s objectives. This has resulted in a 67% increase in revenue and 600% increase in EBITDA. Susanne has a degree in Marketing and Economics, a Masters in Business Administration from the University of San Francisco and an Executive MBA from Daniels College of Business (DU).

Laura Dunn Nelson
VP Food Safety and Sustainability
Intertek Alchemy

Laura joins Alchemy with over 35 years of experience implementing food safety and quality control programs for processing, packaging, food service, and retail operations. She has worked with global retailers and manufacturers in the implementation of their GFSI certification programs. Prior to Alchemy, Laura managed BioMerieux (Silliker’s) South Region US food testing laboratories, implemented ISO 17025 requirements, conducted GMP and HACCP audits, and trained food safety auditors.

Her hands-on experience in food safety management has assisted food companies in the successful implementation of good manufacturing practices (GMP), quality assurance, and HACCP programs. Laura is a graduate of University of Texas with a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology.

Joe O'Hea
Sales & Account Manager
VAI

As Sales & Account Manager at VAI, Joe O’Hea is responsible for direct and indirect sales for new prospective clients, as well as managing his assigned existing customer accounts. Joe has been selling enterprise software since 2011 and has extensive knowledge in the ERP space. Joe regularly represents the company as a spokesperson and IT subject matter expert at media events, webinars, and conferences.

Kurt Westmoreland
Chief Commercial Officer
FlexXray, Inc

Kurt Westmoreland is the Chief Commercial Officer for FlexXray and has more than 35 years of experience in food safety. His early career focused on analytical testing with Silliker and evolved into a trusted and well-respected sales and commercial operations executive with Mérieux NutriSciences for 28 + years helping the company expand to a fully integrated food safety provider. Throughout his career, Kurt has been an active member in several industry associations, including but not limited to: IFT, IAFP, AFFI, IPPE, BIFSCO, NAMI and several others.

Amanda Wilder
U.S. Sales Director
Provision Analytics

Amanda Wilder holds an M.S. in Food Science from Kansas State University and B.S. in Food Science from the University of Idaho. While attending KSU, she worked in the Food Safety and Defense Lab on pathogen intervention technologies and strategies for the produce, pet food, and meat industries. Her past experience before joining the Provision team also includes working in Food Safety, R&D, and business development roles in meat, fruit and vegetable, and pulse processing operations. As US Sales Director at Provision Analytics, she’s passionate about helping companies find and implement solutions to optimize their food safety processes.